The present invention relates to systems and methods for connecting sheet material and, in particular, to systems and methods for connecting a reinforcement mesh sheet to other objects such as another reinforcement mesh sheet or a wall panel.
Reinforcement mesh is an array of metal bars welded together in a grid. A common use of reinforcement mesh is to bury the mesh within an earthen wall; an edge of the mesh is connected to a wall panel arranged to reinforce the earthen wall. The reinforcing mesh reinforces the wall panel(s) against loads applied by the earthen wall on the wall panel. Reinforcing mesh may also be used in other environments.
Reinforcement mesh is normally provided in sheets; these sheets often need to be connected to what will be referred to herein as the xe2x80x9cremote objectxe2x80x9d. The remote object may be another sheet of reinforcing mesh or other objects such as the wall panels. In many situations, each metal bar extending in one direction within the sheet must be connected to the remote object to take full advantage of the reinforcing mesh. Connecting each metal bar to the remote object by welding or the like can be expensive and time consuming and require relatively skilled labor. In addition, conventional methods increase the likelihood that one of the any separate connections is faulty and thus may require extensive quality control provisions.
The need thus exists for systems and methods for connecting sheets of reinforcing mesh that are simple, fast, inexpensive, and reliable.
The present invention may be embodied as a connecting system for connecting a first mesh sheet to a member comprising a housing member, a first loop portion, and a first pin member. The housing member defines a loop passageway, and the housing member is adapted to be rigidly connected to the member. The first loop portion is formed on the first mesh sheet and extends into the loop passageway. The first pin member extends through the first loop portion of the first mesh sheet such that a force applied to the first mesh sheet away from the housing member causes the first pin member to engage the housing member and the loop portion to inhibit movement between the first mesh sheet and the member.
In one preferred embodiment, the member is a concrete panel. In this case, the housing member comprises an anchor portion adapted to be embedded in the concrete panel to rigidly connect the housing member to the concrete panel.
In another preferred embodiment, the member is a second mesh sheet. In this case, the connecting system further comprises a second loop portion formed on the second mesh sheet and the first pin member extends through at least one of the first and second loop portions to inhibit relative movement between the first and second mesh sheets.